Ryker (The Ride #4)

by Megan O'Brien

  I glared up at him before sneaking a glance over his shoulder at Sam and Caden, who were both trying to stifle their grins.

  “Not too pleased to find you with some shirtless asshole with metal through both nipples and I don’t want to know where else,” he growled.

  “Hey!” Sam protested on Caden’s behalf.

  Caden shrugged, unaffected as always. “I can be kind of an asshole and I have a fuck lot more metal.” He grinned suggestively.

  Well, that was news I didn’t need to know.

  “Don’t be mad at Caden,” I replied, crossing my arms over my chest, as he continued to cage me in. “Hell, why are you even mad at me? If you tried to call it was after my phone died, which was late last night. Or tonight,” I rambled, not sure what time it was. “I didn’t want to be alone so I invited them to stay over. End of.” I shrugged.

  “End of? What, are you a British bitch now?” Sid groused from the stairwell, eyes squinted against the lights and hair in disarray. Sid could always sleep through anything. I wasn’t surprised he was just now coming downstairs.

  At that, I saw some of Ryker’s anger slip as he fought a smile. Well at least one of us was amused.

  “That’s Sid,” I introduced. “And Sam,” I continued, indicating Sam. “You and Caden are already best friends,” I muttered dryly.

  Ryker turned giving a brief chin lift to the room at large before his gaze returned to me. “I want to know why you’re not answering my calls instead of being in bed waiting for me,” he demanded, his voice low and full of grit.

  “Damn,” I heard Sam breathe, and I could swear she was fanning herself.

  “Let’s talk upstairs,” I replied, glaring at my friends, who were in no hurry to give us privacy.

  “I’ll crash with Sid,” Sam called after us.

  “Right,” I muttered.

  I led him to my room, my heart pounding out of my chest.

  He leaned against the closed door with his arms crossed, assessing me. His green eyes did a full-body sweep, making me feel like I was wearing nothing at all as opposed to the ratty t-shirt and sleep shorts I wore.

  “Your eyes are red,” he noted quietly.

  I nodded, fidgeting with the frayed lining of my t-shirt. “I was upset,” I admitted. “What happened to your face?”

  “We’ll get to that,” came his blunt reply.

  Ooookay.

  “What’s going on?” he demanded.

  “I didn’t realize you’d called.” I sat on the edge of my bed and glanced at the clock, noting it was just after 2:00 a.m. “But I admit I was in a weird headspace all day. Things with us—that was…” I searched for the right word, coming up with one that only scratched the surface of my true feelings. “Intense for me, and having you leave like that was hard,” I admitted, blowing out a breath.

  He started to cut in and I lifted my hand to stop him.

  “Let me just get this out.” I licked my lips nervously. “I started the day feeling a bit insecure about things between us,” I admitted.

  I watched his eyes widen in surprise at my words.

  “Then I went to the hospital where they told me my dad’s care has been paid for—I have no idea by who—and that he needs to detox for a few days. They have to detox him!” I exclaimed, anxiously. “I can’t see him.” I shook my head, raking my fingers through my wild hair. “I felt like I was telling him goodbye,” I whispered, swallowing the huge lump forming in my throat. “Like I was abandoning him.” I risked a glance at Ryker, discovering that his expression had softened as he listened intently. “Then some goon scared the living shit out of me. I still hadn’t heard from you. The girls had heard from their guys and I just thought maybe my fears had been right. That you were freaked or that maybe it was a one-time thing. Sam had called wanting to crash here because they have a gig in Reno. At first I said no, but after everything, I wanted the company. I needed it,” I admitted.

  “You think after everything we’ve been through together, with everything you are to me, that I’d fuck you over?” he demanded, incredulous.

  I looked up at him, my hands clenched. “What am I to you, Ry? You’ve been so angry with me and then everything changed so fast. Is it because you feel bad for me? I’ll tell you right now I can’t handle that,” I told him bluntly. “My world has been turned upside down. I’ve lost my mother and most days it feels like my dad too. I don’t have solid ground to stand on. Nothing feels like home. Except…” I swallowed hard, my eyes filling with tears as I decided to lay it all out. “Except for you. You’re home to me and a hell of a lot more than that. I can’t stand the thought that you pity me.”

  He took a step toward me, moving into my space. His hands cupped my face as he stooped to meet my eyes.

  “Pipe, with the way I feel about you, I didn’t think there was any possible way you missed it.” His tone sounded genuinely shocked. “I get that I don’t have a good track record with women, but this is you and me. You and me,” he emphasized. “I didn’t check in, I’ll work on that, but all I could think about was wrapping our shit up so I could get back to you. Then I had to get fixed up.” He indicated his face. “I feel like home to you? You’ve always been that for me too, and a hell of a lot more. When you left you fucking gutted me, baby.”

  I winced at his admission as he continued.

  “That pain—it was like nothing I’ve ever known. Nothing I want to feel again. I don’t say this to make you feel bad, I just want you to understand. I realized, these past few weeks, not having you in my life when you’re right here, right in front of me, is a far harsher agony. I want you, Piper. I’ve always wanted you. I never stopped.”

  I looked up into his eyes as he used his thumb to wipe away my tears. “I’m sorry,” I murmured.

  He didn’t reply but instead, crushed his mouth to mine. A moan escaped my lips as his tongue plundered my mouth and my arms came up around his neck.

  “They’ll hear us,” I whispered, as he broke away to whip his shirt over his head.

  “I don’t give a fuck,” he bit out, backing us toward the bed.

  When I saw all his gorgeous, toned skin on display, suddenly I didn’t either.

  He pushed me down to my back, whipping my sleep shorts down my legs and dropping to his knees. His mouth was between my legs before I could even catch my breath. He had me calling his name in what felt like seconds.

  I heard the sound of his boots hitting the floor, one by one, of a zipper and soft whish of denim following. Then he was up over me, his warm skin enveloping mine.

  His forearms were braced on either side of my head as he looked down at me with unfathomable tenderness. “You said before that you still loved me. That true?”

  I bit my lip and nodded.

  “Say it,” he commanded softly, dipping to take my mouth in an all-too-brief kiss.

  “I love you,” I murmured.

  His eyes flashed before a slow smile spread across his handsome face. “I love you too, Pipe. Only girl I’ve ever loved. Only girl I ever want to.”

  Well if that wasn’t every fantasy come to life, I didn’t know what was.

  “Spread your legs,” he ordered.

  I obeyed, trying to stifle the groan that wanted to escape when he filled me to the hilt.

  “You love me, now you’re gonna come for me,” he rasped in my ear as he pulled my arms above my head, pinning me down.

  “Yes,” I breathed, trying like hell to be quiet.

  I failed.

  We lay sprawled out in bed with my head on his chest and limbs wrapped around his warm body. I’d fantasized for so many years about being with Ry like this again.

  “What happened to your face?” I asked quietly.

  “Got in a tussle,” he answered evasively.

  I lifted my head to meet his eyes. “That’s all you’re going to give me?”

  He sighed. “Just backing the Sinners up with something. They needed muscle. I was part of that muscle.”

  “Sc
arlet’s old club?” I asked, confused. I knew vaguely that she’d grown up in a club and that the Knights partnered with them on occasion.

  “Yes,” he replied, succinctly, and I could tell I wasn’t going to get much more out of him.

  “You’re lucky I’m so tired. Otherwise you wouldn’t get off so easily,” I grumbled.

  He squeezed me. “You’ve got enough on your plate, babe. This isn’t something you need to add to it. Let’s get some shut-eye, all right? I’m fucking beat.”

  “Okay,” I agreed, sinking more fully into his body. “Glad you’re here,” I whispered, after a few minutes of silence.

  I felt him kiss my head. “Me too, Tink.”

  I woke up blissfully aware of Ry’s warm, hard body behind me. I stretched back into him, smiling as his muscled arm wrapped around my waist. “Like waking up with you,” he told me, his voice gritty with sleep.

  “Me too,” I agreed, turning in his arms and snuggling into his neck. “I’ve got to get to the store, get a few things done before their gig tonight.”

  I felt him tense beside me. “You’re not goin’ alone,” he clipped.

  “What?” I demanded, sitting up.

  “Look, if it weren’t for yesterday, I’d be more open to the idea. As it stands, I’ll fucking lock you down before I let you go by yourself. I have to check some shit, make sure I can go.”

  “Let me go?” I demanded, crossing my arms and glaring down at him.

  “Pipe, you’re making me crazy but goddammit, you look so fucking sexy right now. C’mere.” He reached an arm up, trying to pull me down.

  “Nuh-uh, we’re going to talk about this.” I shook my head. “Ry you can’t tell me what I can and can’t do,” I continued. “You’re not the boss of me,” I informed him, cringing when I realized I sounded like a teenager.

  “You’re right, I’m not the boss of you. I’m something far more important. I’m your man. And you need to trust me and know me well enough that I wouldn’t lay it out like that unless it was really fucking important. What happened with the Riders yesterday?”

  I looked at him in confusion. “Don’t you know?”

  His large hand squeezed my hip. “I want to hear it from you.”

  “There isn’t much to say.” I shrugged. “They came and surrounded our table. They wanted to know who I belonged to. I honestly didn’t know what to say,” I admitted.

  “Me. You belong to me,” Ryker growled.

  “I’m getting that,” I assured him dryly. “Anyway, Ettie said as much. One of them said something about you guys having good taste in… pussy.” I winced at the last part, knowing that wouldn’t go over so well.

  His fists clenched and I saw him fight not to say anything.

  “Then they said they were staking out their property, and I don’t think they meant Hawthorne.” I swallowed hard, my pulse quickening from the memory. “It was pretty scary,” I admitted. “The girls have told me a little bit and you’ve been vague at best. What’s going on?”

  “They touch you?” he demanded.

  “Just my hair,” I replied quietly.

  I watched his eyes darken with fury, as he worked to control himself.

  “What’s going on, Ry?” I asked again.

  He threw an arm behind his head, the muscles in his arms on prominent, mouthwatering display, as he gazed up at the ceiling, trying to collect himself. After a moment his bright green eyes found mine, as he swallowed thickly. “I will never let them touch you again.”

  “I know,” I assured him quietly, meaning every word. Ryker and I had protected each other for a long time.

  “They’re trying to throw their weight around. They want to run some pretty bad shit through our territory. They approached Cal about it a while back. He said no. They’re trying to take matters into their own hands.”

  “How does Sophie’s dad play in to this?” I asked, remembering what the girls had said.

  He sighed. “He just happened to be a pawn they could use. He borrowed money from them—got in deep. This was before Sophie was even connected with us. But once they learned of that connection, they saw it as a way to create leverage. Killing him was a message. They’re turning to force.”

  He once again reached for me, and this time I allowed him to pull me down so that I was lying on my side facing him. “Baby, things are gonna get worse before they get better. I can keep you safe and I want you close. Until this blows over, it’s really fucking important that you listen to what I tell you. I can’t even tell you what kind of stress it gives me, thinking about you venturing from town by yourself. If I thought there was a way to get you out of the middle of this, I’d do it. Aside from moving you back to L.A. or breaking it off, I don’t see how.”

  The very thought of either option, particularly the latter, made my heart drop.

  I cupped his neck with my palm, his skin warm under mine. “My home is in Hawthorne. I’m realizing that now more than ever,” I assured him. “I don’t want to leave. I want to take care of my dad however I can. I want to re-open the store and have it live up to what my mom dreamed for it. I want to get to know all of the girls better—they’re awesome. And most of all, I want to be with you,” I murmured, my voice low with emotion.

  “I’m really fuckin’ glad you feel that way, babe,” he murmured, nuzzling my neck.

  “Are you guys done fucking? We’re starving and we need Piper to make pancakes!” Caden hollered through the door.

  I rolled my eyes.

  Ry chuckled. “I’m going to need at least another hour,” he called back, without missing a beat.

  I smacked him, making him yelp in surprise, as I heard Caden laughing on the other side of the door.

  “We’ll be out in a sec,” I yelled. “Go away!”

  “Maybe you should take another hour, you sound cranky!” Caden called before we heard his footsteps walking away.

  “Okay, I need to shower,” I announced, rising naked from bed in search of my clothes.

  “Damn, I wish you didn’t have to wear clothes. Ever.” He licked his lips, his eyes scanning my body.

  I grinned. “Something tells me you wouldn’t like it very much if I walked out there naked with Caden and Sid around.”

  He growled. “Anything happened with either of them?” he asked, any trace of playfulness gone in an instant.

  “What? No, no way.” I shook my head. “Sid’s in love with Sam, he just either doesn’t know it or won’t admit it. And Caden is like a brother. A smelly, immature brother,” I assured him. “Have you met Caden?” I asked with a raised brow.

  He chuckled rising to stand. “Fair enough.”

  *****

  “I’ll let you guys practice,” Ryker announced to the guys and Sam after breakfast. “You need anything before I head out?” he asked me, his gaze intent on mine.

  I blushed at the insinuation. Simply having him look at me could incite such a powerful reaction. His eyes were so gorgeous, so full of promise.

  I managed a shake of the head.

  “Walk me out?” he asked, cocking his head toward the door.

  I nodded, taking his outstretched hand and following him toward the front door.

  He took me in his arms, his chin resting on the top of my head as I breathed him in, wrapping my arms around his rock-hard torso. “I gotta jet. I’ll try to move some shit around so I can take you tonight. Maybe some of the brothers and their women want to come too.”

  I smiled, liking that idea.

  He pulled me close, his hands grasping my backside and pulling me off the ground as his tongue swept past my lips. I melted into him as my heart rate spiked.

  There was nothing like kissing Ryker.

  Nothing.

  “Goddammit, I wish I didn’t have to go,” he ground out, his lips a breath from mine.

  “Me too,” I sighed, licking my swollen lips.

  He placed his forehead to mine. “Tonight.” His tone was full of promise.

  “Tonight.”
I nodded eagerly.

  Then he was gone. I stood staring at the front door, trying to pull myself together.

  “Hello? Earth to Piper, can we use the garage? We need to practice!” Caden hollered.

  “She’s in a hot biker fog.” Sam snorted. “Hell, I’m in a hot biker fog and I’m not the one who had his tongue down my throat.”

  I heard a grumble, undoubtedly from Sid.

  “Coming,” I called finally, pulling myself out of said fog but still slightly shaky as I went to clear space in the garage.

  *****

  The band was rockin’.

  Ry had picked me up on the bike with Wes, Connie, Mack, and Ettie. Together we’d ridden out as a group to Reno.

  Despite how great Sam and the guys were, it took me a while to embrace the levity of the evening. It felt wrong somehow with everything going on with my dad.

  Connie and Ettie twirled around me, trying to pull me out of my introspection and into the fun.

  I felt familiar arms wrap around me from behind. “Focus on the good, Tink,” Ry’s deep voice commanded in my ear. “There’s a lot of shit, I know, but there’s a hell of a lot of good to celebrate too. Your pop doesn’t know how to live right now—I want to see that you do.”

  I bit my lip, nodding, moved beyond measure at how he still knew exactly what to say after all this time. He still understood me in a way no one else ever had.

  Ettie looked over my shoulder, smiling broadly at Ryker, giving him a nod as though to say she’d take care of me as she took my hand. He let go with a squeeze of my waist, leaving me to dance with my girls.

  Once I let go, allowing myself to enjoy the music and the company, I felt lighter than I had in years.

  “This one’s for my girl, Piper, and her badass man!” Sam hollered through the mic as they kicked off “Brown Eyed Girl.” I looked at Ry, blushing, shocked that she’d remembered.

  “Brown Eyed Girl” had been the song playing when I lost my virginity to Ry. I’d divulged that information to Sam one night after entirely too much whiskey.

  I snuck a glance over at him only to find him staring intently back at me with a brow raised, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Clearly he remembered and understood the song’s significance.